Movie Information
Directed by: John Madden
Produced by: Graham Broadbent, Peter Czarina.
Written by: Ol Parker
Based on: These Foolish Things by Deborah Moggach
Starring: Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson,
and Penelope Wilton.
Music by: Thomas Newman
Cinematography: Ben Davis
Editing by: Chris Gill
Studio: Participant Media, Imagenation Abu Dhabi.
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: 24 February 2012
Running Time: 124 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Box office: $70,429,130
Plot: A group of British retirees have outsourced their retirement, attracted by the less expensive and seemingly exotic India. They are enticed by advertisements about the newly restored Marigold Hotel and given false dreams of a life with leisure. They arrive at the hotel to find that it is not as advertised and, although the new environment is less luxurious than imagined, the retirees are profoundly transformed by their subsequent experiences.
Having arrived in Jaipur following the cancellation of their connecting flight, Graham arranges for the group to be taken by bus and tut-tut overnight to the hotel. However, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is not what the seven retirees expect, as the phones are out of order, the building is dilapidated and the Indian food is not what they are used to.
Jean is reluctant to explore the new culture, as well as her fellow guests (apart from Graham, due mainly to his former position as a High Court judge); but her husband, Douglas proceeds to explore the city, visiting the sights that Graham recommends. Meanwhile, Graham disappears each day without telling of his destination.
Muriel has a scheduled operation almost immediately, as is promised, and is told that as soon as she can walk she can return home. Despite her racism, she is grateful to her doctor and grudgingly admits his team's success with her operation. Then, recognizing the kindness of the hotel cleaner, Muriel tries to reciprocate with help but is told by Graham that the girl speaks no English. The narrative subsequently reveals that the cleaner is a member of the "untouchable" caste (also known as "Davits"); a social status that persists even though the title is an anachronism.
Evelyn finds herself a job as cultural adviser to a call centre, helping the phone operators to bond with their callers and to appear less rude and robotic. This is the first job she has had in her life, a fact that she shares with Douglas; she also tells him that without the paycheck she could not afford to stay at the hotel, "even at Sonny's prices".
Sonny, the hotel owner, finds himself in financial trouble as he struggles to get monetary support from a local businessman. However, he gradually tries to improve the hotel, starting with the repair of the telephones.
Madge decides that the way to find herself a rich boyfriend is to join an exclusive club and, after failing to pass herself off as Princess Margaret, she is introduced to a rich, single man by the bartender. The man turns out to be Norman, who has been more successful with his subterfuge.
We eventually learn that Graham's daily disappearance involves a visit to the records office, in hope of finding an old friend with whom he shared a gay relationship as a young man. Jean, who is still dismissive of Indian culture, follows him to the office; she tries to make a pass at him, and is humiliated when he tells her that he is gay. With the support of Douglas and Evelyn, Graham tracks down his old friend and the two are able to talk for the first time since Graham left India at age 18. The next morning, having returned to the hotel, Graham dies of a heart attack. Evelyn writes in her blog that he had 'a heart condition', and came to India knowing he would not be returning home; he had come to put to bed his life as a young man.
Having been invited to the home of the hotel cleaner, Muriel and her doctor-cum-translator spend an awkward afternoon in the woman's house. Muriel is forced into eating some Indian food for fear of offending the woman, but manages to upset the whole family after she begins shouting at some children in the street playing on her wheelchair.
Frequenting their club, Norman and Madge encounter Carol, an English woman who has lived in India her whole life; when Norman finally admits that he is just old and lonely, she says that she is too: the two begin a relationship.
Sonny has his own problems, his two more successful brothers each own a third of the hotel and want it knocked down, while his mother wants him to return to Delhi to meet his bride-to-be. But Sonny is madly in love with the beautiful Sanmina, who works for her brother at the call centre.
Trying to make amends for her outburst, Muriel and her doctor return to the woman with chocolate Hobnobs as a peace offering; Muriel pours out her life story to the woman, telling how she lost her job, and how she came to be alone.
Jean and Douglas have a blazing row after she sees him hugging Evelyn. He admonishes her for her negativity and tells her how little respect he gets from her, despite how much he gives; in so doing he reveals the emptiness of their marriage. As the two leave the hotel in a taxi for the airport, Evelyn hides in her room; she cannot bring herself to say goodbye to Douglas to whom she has become very close.
The hotel is going to be forced to close due to lack of funding, but Muriel, hearing of Sonny's troubles, sneaks onto his computer for a look at the accounts, which she then takes to the businessman who has cut his funding. The residents are told that they must relocate - Norman decides to move in with Carol, while Madge and Evelyn decide to leave. Caught in a carnival-induced traffic jam, Jean and Douglas find a cycle rickshaw to take them to the airport, but are told that it can take two people and no luggage, or one person and luggage. Jean takes this as a sign and leaves India without Douglas, who returns to the hotel.
The next morning Sonny and Sanmina confront Sonny's mother. Sonny tells her that he will marry Sanmina no matter what, and she finally concedes. Muriel announces that having looked over the accounts and spoken to the businessman, she finds that the original plan for the hotel is very good; it simply requires better management. She suggests herself for the role of Assistant Manager and says that together she and Sonny can run the hotel well. Douglas returns to the hotel and arranges to meet Evelyn after work for tea. Madge, Evelyn, Norman and Carol decide that they will stay in the hotel with Muriel helping Sonny to run it.
The film ends with Sonny and Sanmina riding a moped along the street, passing Douglas and Evelyn who are riding on another moped. Madge is in her club being wined and dined by an Indian man; Norman washes socks as Carol reads the Kama Sutra in their room. Muriel is seen behind the desk of the hotel as Assistant Manager, welcoming guests.
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